TK Basketball Play Like a Champion League Mondays, October 16th - November 20th

TK Basketball provides a fun and affordable opportunity for youths to get quality basketball instruction, scrimmage/game experience and valuable gym time during the off season. This league will enhance the player's existing basketball skills, as well as help develop new ones. This league is run by Incline High School Varsity Boys Coach Tim Kelly. Full details

Dog Days of Fall

Saturday, October 7th

A unique opportunity to bring your pooch to the Burnt Cedar Pool for soggy doggy fun. There will be a variety of dog demonstrations, information, contests, and prizes. Come and make a splash with your best four-legged friend! This event, located at Burnt Cedar Pool, is free for valid IVGID Pass holders with beach access. Full details

The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District (NLTFPD) will be offering flu vaccinations to individuals over the age of 8 beginning September 12, 2017 for as long as supplies last. Vaccines administered by NLTFPD, will be offered at the Fire District?s main station located at 875 Tanager Street. Walk-ins are welcome. Vaccines will not be available at the Crystal Bay orMount Rose Stations.

Each vaccine is $30.00, payable by cash, check or credit card. If you are a Medicare patient, Medicare billing will also be available, please bring your card so a copy can be made to submit for insurance reimbursement.

For your convenience, Fire District personnel are available to visit homes or businesses by appointment. There is no additional charge for this service however; the $30.00 vaccine fee still applies. To make an appointment, please call 775-831-0351, ext. 0. Please note that the vaccines are only for individuals 8 years of age and older; we recommend younger children be taken to their pediatrician.

The North Lake Tahoe Fire District will be collaborating with Incline Village Community Hospital to give flu shots at the next Incliners? meeting, Tuesday, September 19, 2017 from 5p ? 7p at the Chateau, 955 Fairway Blvd., Incline Village, NV.

High Altitude Fitness to host climbing team tryouts- Young climbers will have a chance to join the ranks of High Altitude Fitness' youth climbing team, with the gym preparing to host team tryouts next week (team tryouts for four different age-group squads are on Friday, Sept. 8 at 4 pm).

WELCOME TO THE 2016-17 SCHOOL YEAR!Music at our three public schools is off to an incredible start this year! The Highlander Pep Band is gearing up for performances at home football & soccer games (including tonight?s Friday football game), and BTW our high school music enrollment has doubled this year!! An exclusive performance by virtuoso violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn with the fabled ?Red Mendelsohhn Stradivarious Violin? as featured in the outtakes of the movie ?The Red Violin? will be at IES to perform for elementary students. Middle School Honor Band Audition dates have been announced, and the IMS Music in the Parks overnight trip for music students is BACK!! Also, don?t forget to join CYMBAL this year ? a new membership form attached. Thank you for keeping the music playing at all 3 Incline public schools!

April 20-21 Music in the Parks Band Trip Coming soon: Otis Spunkmeyer Cookie Dough Fundraiser to raise funds for the band trip! Parents interested in chaperoning this music trip please contact Mr. Mueller.

All Incline Middle School students are encouraged to maintain a yearly SmartMusic Student Subscription. This is a fantastic way to learn new music & improve your musicianship throughout the school year!

Musical Happenings at IHS:Sept. 10 IHS Music Department Back to School Picnic Sept. 13 Back to School Night, 5-6:45pm followed by Boosters dinner. Performances by the IHS Jazz Band!Sept. 15 Highlander Pep Band at IHS Soccer Game, 2-4pmSept. 22 Highlander Pep Band at IHS Soccer Game, 3pmSept. 23 IVGID Oktoberfest! IHS Jazz Band plays for Incline?s Octoberfest at Diamond Peak Sept. 29 Highlander Pep Band at IHS Football, 7pmOct. 20 Highlander Pep Band at IHS Football HOMECOMING!Nov 3-4 Once Upon a Mattress Fall Musical

IHS Students & Parents - DID YOU KNOW? ? Music classes at IHS count as arts & humanities graduation requirement!? All music classes can be taken as honors classes? IHS is now a chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society? Attending live concerts fulfills a Tri-M Music Honor Society requirement

Music in Our Community ? Don?t Miss it!? Incline has a new music school! ?Village Music? offers classes for toddlers through adults on all instruments, voice, children?s choir, group rock band classes and Toddler Tuesdays! More info at: https://www.inclinevillagemusic.com. Drop-ins welcome on Toddler Tuesday & all students are invited to join the North Tahoe Children?s Choir! Call 775-298-2550 for more info.Sept. 23 Oktoberfest! 12pm-6pm IVGID?s free all-ages community event featuring the North Lake Tahoe Children?s Choir & the IHS Jazz Combo & cast members of ?Once Upon a Mattress? will take place at the Diamond Peak.Sept.12 9/11 Memorial Concert 7pm at Cornerstone Church in Incline Village, featuring violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn with the Tahoe Symphony Orchestra & Mozart Requiem performed by the Tahoe Symphony Chorus. Students 19 & under are ALWAYS FREE at TOCCATA Concerts!See http://toccatatahoe.org for more information & for additional concert dates.

Personal floatation device required. If you need to rent a kayak, we will provide one for you! ($30 for a single kayak, $40 for a double kayak).Fees: $48, $40 w/IVGID Pass. $78, $70 w/IVGID if single kayak needed, $88, $80 w/IVGID Pass if double kayak is needed.

Register online with the link at the top of the page! To register in person or by phone, please visit the Recreation Center, 980 Incline Way, or call (775) 832-1310.

Trail of Treats and Terror

October 26th, 2017

Calling All Incline Trick-or-Treaters: Ghoulish games, terrifying treats, shake your booty with daring dancing, and capture a fun and wacky family portrait by Dayle Hoevel of Picture This Photography...all Incline Trick-or-Treaters and their families are welcome. Don?t miss the fun!

Where: Incline Village Middle SchoolWhen: Thursday, May 25th andTuesday, May 30th5:00-7:00 p.m.There is a new registration system this year. Check inclinesoccer.org for updates and once it is working, register and bring 1 copy of your online forms plus proof of payment or cash/check/credit card to avoid lines. New Players must have copy of birth certificate. Costs: $85/first child $75/sibling at registration night. $130 after June 1st.Online registration closes when teams are full. Scholarships available at registration nights only. MUST be present to receive scholarship consideration.

We will be finalizing the Color Run details AND electing Booster Club officers for 2017/18!

NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!Become a part of the PE & Wellness Booster leadership team to support our Incline Schools PE & Wellness programs and help build a successful program that you feel best meets the needs of our amazing students! Positions include President, VP & Treasurer. If you are interested in running for a position or learning more about what the positions entail please email Sarah McMahan at smcmahan@corpv.com

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR THE COLOR RUN!This fun event takes a lot of hands to make it happen! We need help with throwing color during the race, set up at 7am, clean up at noon and a few days of preparation leading up to the race. Sign up today!http://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054dadab2ea4f58-incline

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP TO RUN?You don't want to miss out on this fun event! Sign up now while you still have time to take advantage of early registration! Register online:www.inclinemscr.eventbrite.com by May 27 to guarantee a race bib, color packet and t-shirt and get the early bird price $25 for kids 17 and under & $35 for adults 18+.

Mother's Day Brunch Buffet

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Join us for a beautiful Mother?s Day brunch buffet at The Chateau?s Tahoe Grand Ballroom, located on the Incline Village Championship Golf Course, on Sunday, May 14th, 2017 from 10am - 2pm! For full details and to make your reservation, please visit our website, or call (775) 832-1240.

TK Youth Basketball Camp

Session 1: June 19 - 23, 2017

This youth basketball camp, held at Incline High School for ages 6-14, is designed to teach the skills needed to become an all-around basketball player. Coached by Incline High School Varsity Boys Basketball Coach Tim Kelly. Participants will enjoy top level coaching and instruction, and will focus on the fundamentals necessary to improve your basketball game!

Summer E.P.I.C. Youth Camps

Registration Now Open!

Regiset now for our upcoming Summer E.P.I.C. Youth Camps! Register online, in person at the Recreation Center, 980 Incline Way, or by calling (775) 832-1310. For full details on these programs and many more, please visit our website.

You can now take the District?s Annual Parent Climate Survey by clicking here and selecting your child?s school from the drop-down menus. If you have multiple children in the WCSD, you can complete a survey for each child?s school, or you can complete just one survey.

We appreciate your opinions about your child?s school and will use the information to help improve the climate and safety of our schools. We hope you will take a moment to fill out the survey. Participating will allow you to enter a raffle ticket to win a prize from one of our sponsors. The survey will be open from April 3 through May 19. Students in grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11 will be taking a similar survey at their schools in the next two months. You should be receiving an informational flyer about this survey from your child soon if you have not received one already.

We are still in need of additional volunteers for our 12th annual North Lake Tahoe Science Expo and 2nd annual South Lake Tahoe Science Expo. Science Expo provides 30+ hands-on science activities for upper elementary students to learn about science. This year's theme is Earth and Space Science. All the activities will be ready to go and you will be trained for your station. Don't worry, no science background is needed and you might even learn something new while teaching the local youth!

North Lake Tahoe Science Expo will be at the Tahoe Science Center from March 13th - 17th with morning and early afternoon shifts. There are also late afternoon shifts available on March 15th (Wednesday) for the public event.

South Lake Tahoe Science Expo will be at Lake Tahoe Community College from April 4th - 7th with morning and early afternoon shifts, as well as a volunteer training on April 3rd 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm. There are also late afternoon shifts available on April 5th (Wednesday) for the public event.

Sarah Woods here from Educator.com. We're a pioneering venture to help equalize education by assembling the best teachers in the country and making their lectures available to everyone.

I'm delighted to announce that we would like to offer a $2400 scholarship to students of your school, spread across three different students.

To apply, applicants need to submit a scan of their most recent transcript (High School is ok for rising freshmen) plus one 500-1000 word essay on ?What is the greatest problem in education today and how would you change it??

It would be suitable for students majoring in pretty much any subject, as we're all inclusive of education as a whole. For more information on our scholarship and details on how to apply, please see here - https://www.educator.com/scholarship/

Eligibility Requirements

In order to participate in the scholarship content, applicants must meet the following criteria;

Must be currently attending University or college (or set to attend) during the 2017 or 2018 calendar year. Must be in good standing with current or prospective institution. Must apply to the content via email, providing name, address, university name, major and your expected graduation month and year. Provide your application and essay before August 1st, 2018. A winner will be chosen by the September 2018.

I?m writing you today because I wanted to make sure your students are aware of a scholarship being offered by BestMattressReviews.com.

We?re offering a $1,000 scholarship in an effort to give back to the community while also promoting sleep awareness. This scholarship is available to eligible HS seniors, current college students, and graduate students.

ISchool is offering an engaging, one-semester course on Thinking Critically and Ethically starting Monday, September 25, at 2:45. As this course is focused on small group discussion facilitated by a teacher, attendance at all classes -- including the first one -- is essential. For Social Studies/Humanities/Elective credit.

In an effort to help students be safer drivers Zero Teen Fatalities (ZTF) will be presenting to Incline High students during 1st period on Tuesday September 26 and Thursday September 28. Attached is some information about ZTF.

If you want financial aid, your first step is to apply for it. The place to start is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the primary application for need-based financial aid. Most colleges will use information from your FAFSA to create your financial aid award. By All Means, File a FAFSA

Many families with children in college do not file a FAFSA. Some believe they are not eligible for aid. Others think the form is just too complicated. But anyone who fills out the FAFSA will at least qualify for a federally insured, low-cost loan?and perhaps other valuable aid such as Pell grants. What the FAFSA Asks

The FAFSA asks for information about both student and parents (if the student is unmarried and under 24). This information includes income and assets and basic facts about the student's household. It must be accurate as of the day you file your FAFSA. There's a new version of the FAFSA for each school year, and you must update your FAFSA annually to keep getting aid. What Happens When You File Your FAFSA

Information from your FAFSA determines your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Your EFC is the amount you and your family will be expected to pay for college, no matter what college you attend. Colleges use your EFC to calculate how much government aid you are eligible for. Most colleges also use your EFC to calculate your eligibility for financial aid from their own funds. You'll receive your EFC from one to three weeks after submitting your FAFSA in a document called the Student Aid Report (SAR). When to File Your FAFSA

The first day you can access and submit the FAFSA is October 1. The critical deadlines to meet are the priority financial aid deadlines of the colleges you apply to and your state's FAFSA deadline. However, filing the FAFSA as early as possible after October 1 will put you near the front of the line for financial aid. How to Fill Out the FAFSA

You can complete the entire FAFSA application online at fafsa.ed.gov. (A paper FAFSA is also available.) The FAFSA website provides a list of documents you should have on hand when you fill out the FAFSA. Most important, you will need your and your parents' income tax return from two years prior to your anticipated college entrance date. For example, if you plan to enroll in college in the fall of 2018, you will use tax data from 2016. The FAFSA offers a data retrieval tool that transfers your tax information from the IRS website directly into your FAFSA. How to Line Up Colleges to Get Your FAFSA Results

You can select up to ten colleges to receive your SAR. (You can add more colleges later.) You will need the federal school code for each college, available on fafsa.ed.edu. These colleges will see your EFC and a summary of the information you reported on your FAFSA, but they won't see the other colleges that you selected. Where to Get FAFSA Help

Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it.. Your high school counselor, a college's financial aid office, and the FAFSA website are all good resources. Many states hold FAFSA events (sometimes called "College Goal Sundays") where students can get free, onsite, professional assistance with completing the FAFSA form. Visit Form Your Future to find specific locations and dates in your state. How to Make Changes to Your FAFSA

Your FAFSA should be accurate as of the day you sign it. If you find mistakes on your FAFSA or SAR, you can submit corrections via the FAFSA website or by calling (800) 433-3243. However, changes to your or your family's financial situation that occur after you sign your FAFSA usually cannot be updated. You can contact the college's financial aid office and explain your situation. You may be asked to submit a letter detailing the new considerations, backed up by copies of relevant documents. What to Do If You Are Selected for "Verification"

Sometimes, colleges will ask you to provide documentation for the information in your SAR. Be sure to save the records and materials you used to complete the FAFSA in case this happens. And be sure to print a copy of the FAFSA before you submit it. What's Next?

See I'd Like More Financial Aid, Please for information on appealing your EFC. Learn about the CSS PROFILE, another aid application used by colleges. Use the EFC Calculator to estimate your Expected Family Contribution.

Note: Financial information provided on this site is of a general nature and may not apply to your situation. Contact a financial or tax advisor before acting on such information.

The inagural Highlander Pride Alumni Weekend will be held on September 29th & 30th. Friday, September 29th @ 7:00PM - Watch the IHS football team take on Valley Christian at Highlander Field. Saturday, September 30th @ 1:00PM - Highlander Pride Golf Tournament kicks off at the Championship Course. Saturday, September 30th @ 7:00PM - Highlander Pride Poker Tournament at The Chateau

Opportunity to study next year in a Foreign Country with Rotary. See Ms Cross or Ms Holman for details. The application is on www.rye5190.org/documents. The deadline is Tuesday 9/26 Rotary Contact: Thalia Routsis 775-830-5964.

The boys and girls soccer team will be playing on the Reno 1858 soccer field on Sept 27. Please come out and show your support. IHS is selling discount tickets to the Reno 1858 home games for $12. The voucher is good for any RENO 1868 FC Soccer match.

Please contact Mr. Canino or Yvette at yvetteoliver@hotmail.com or 775-750-5858 if you are interested in purchasing tickets.

Now accepting payment for the PSAT Assessment which will be given on Wednesday, October 11th. ALL 10th graders will test (paid for by WCSD). Any 9th or 11th grader who wants to test must pay $16 no later than Wednesday 9/20. Juniors should test if they want to qualify to be a National Merit Scholar!

Mr. Edwards:As you may know Mr. Edwards was in a biking accident. He is progressing as well as can be expected. If you are interested in tracking his progress and donating to his recovery feel free to visit https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kevinsroadtorecovery2Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

Halloween Dance: Thank you for those that volunteered for the Halloween Dance. The dance will be held on Thursday October 26, 2017. We will send out and email shortly to setup a committee meeting and to start planning! 8th Grade Promotion/Celebration Committee: We are looking for 8th grade parents to volunteer in planning the 8th grade promotion/celebration that is scheduled for June 13, 2018 at Aspen Grove. Please consider volunteering your time and talents in sending your 8th grader to the next chapter in their lives - High School! Other Volunteer Opportunities: Take Dad to School Day Committee Staff Appreciation Committee Where Needed

I will create a sign-up genius for the 8th grade party once we are closer to the June 14th date. Please look for your opportunity to volunteer. For now we need people to donate funds to the party. You can do so on-line at

We need the help of every family in the IMS community to make Teacher and Staff Appreciation week a success. Our theme is simply Thank You, we want to express this sentiment in every language and every way that we can through the week. The help that we need is outlined in the Sign Up Genius page below. Please click on the link, take a look at the page and decide how you can help. If you do not have the time to help please donate money to the event. You can make checks out to IMS Jr. Boosters and leave them in the Booster mail box located in the office. Please pass this information on to your friends and family who may not be on this e-mail blast.

Thank you to everyone who helped with concessions for boys basketball. Girls Volleyball games will start when we return to school in the New Year. We need adult volunteers to work at the Volleyball concessions for both the 7th and 8th grade games

Incline High School and Middle School students are invited to audition for the Spring Production of Cinderella to be performed at Incline High School this spring!Run by Sara Turner, director of Great Futures Productions and our Cinderella show, auditions will be held on Wednesday, January 18 from 1:30-4 in the Little Theater at Incline High School. The audition process will be non-competitive, interactive and FUN! The goal will be to get students comfortable on stage, reveal the great talents of Incline kids, and put together the best show possible. There will be singing and non-singing parts available, as well as opportunities for tech and backstage support. The show is scheduled for April 28 and 29, 2017.

Registration for the 2016-17 school year is now OPEN. Please go to Infinite Campus, log in, look at your Inbox, and click on the link for Online Registration. All new AND continuing students must register!

Spring Break this year through the organization Close Up (www.closeup.org) take a trip to Washington D.C.. Randy Berenson(Mr. B) is the teacher chaperone, and at least one other parent will be joining depending on the number of students going. The trip is open to 7th and 8th graders at IMS, and if you are interested in learning more about it, please contact Mr. B at rberenson@washoeschools.net.

We are looking for a few 7th grade parents who would like to help with planning the 80's night fund raiser. The money earned from this event will go towards the 8th grade trip tentatively scheduled for this coming fall.

Concession Help Boys Basketball Home Games

IMS will be selling concessions at Boys Basketball home games. This will be a very good opportunity for us to raise funds for our sports programs. Please consider volunteering at the concession stand. To volunteer contact Maria Giangreco at: giangrecos@att.net

Beginning Tuesday, September 1 and continuing through Friday, September 11, the students at Incline Middle School will be taking MAP tests. These Measures of Academic Progress are intended to give students and teachers an indication of progress in reading and math. Since these tests generally take over an hour each, IMS will be on a block schedule for the 8 days of testing. On Tuesday, September 1 students will attend double length classes for Periods I, 3, and 5. The next day they will attend periods 2, 4, and 6. Enrichment classes will be held during their regular times. Students will continue this alternating schedule through the testing cycle. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the school at 775-832-4220.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ADVENTURE CAMPSSt. Francis of Assisi Church is offering a middle school adventure in late July. It is a great chance for kids to have fun this summer! Fearlesstahoe.org

Move Mountains (formerly Discovering Grace Adventures) is offering several programs for kids in all grades as well. Move Mountains has no religious affiliation, it is a private company offering adventures that help build relationships and leadership skills. Move Mountains website will be up and running June 1. In the meantime, the links listed here go to pages on the old DGA site. The links to information on each program are below:

WORD OF THE WEEK:Last Two Week's Words-Feign (verb) to put on the appearance of; to represent fictitiously My son knew that if he feigned sadness I'd be more likely to let him stay up later to watch the rest of the movie.

Torpor (noun) sluggishness Man, I can't shake this torpor. I feel like I need to sleep twenty hours a day. This is getting ridiculous1 I'm constantly exhausted.

This Week's-Itinerant (adjective) traveling from place to place Geez, look at this guy's ticket stubs: Hawaii, France, Kenya, Sidney, New York. No wonder they call him the "Itinerant idiot"

We need all hands on deck to help with the Strawberry Festival being held on Sunday, June 11th from 10am-2pm (immediately following the Color Run).

This is the main fundraiser for IES PTA and proceeds with fund the Science program (and science coordinator) IES. Please consider donating your time, treasures or talents. We will be selling raffle tickets (with the possibility of winning Disneyland tickets) as well as accepting any and all donations.

There are 2 more planning meetings that will be on the playground after school Wednesday (May 31st & June 7th).

May 12th 6:00-7:30 - Zumba Night at IES with SueMay 26th 6:00-7:30 - Zumba Night at IES with CrystalJune 11th - Spring Fundraiser/Strawberry FestivalJune 15th - Last day of school

PTA Board 2017-18 school year

At our next PTA meeting (Tuesday, May 9th at 5:00 in the library), we will be electing a new board for the upcoming school year. Ludmila Popper has offered to continue as treasurer and LIz Skidmore & Patty Franklin volunteered to be co-secretaries. We are still in need of a president and vice president as well as many committee chairs. Please consider joining the leadership team. It is a great way to meet new friends and become involved in your child's education.

The following positions need volunteers:

President

Vice-President

Membership Committee Chairperson

Back to School BBQ Committee Chairperson

Boo Hoo and Bagels Committee Chairperson

Holiday Store Committee Chairperson

Teacher Appreciation Committee Chairperson

Yearbook Committee Chairperson

Spring Fundraiser Committee Chairperson

Yearbook Information

The deadline for yearbook orders and personalization is quickly approaching (May 5th for dedications and May 12 for orders):

Dedications - put a special message in the yearbook for your child, a special teach or or friend! Please make checks payable to IES PTA and submit payment and the written message to Kathy O?Conner in the office. 0 - 20 words = $5, 20 - 40 words = $10. DEADLINE: 5 MAY 2017

Order your Yearbook - Be sure your student has this special keepsake of their 2016/7 year at IES. Order your yearbook online at: www.treering.com (the IES code is: 101391188608323), OR make checks payable to the IES PTA and submit payment, including your child?s name and teacher?s name, to the teacher or the Yearbook folder in the office. DEADLINE: 12 MAY 2017.

Also, the yearbook committee is looking for volunteers! We need photographers for school events and to take candid shots of the kids as well as people to work with us to select a yearbook theme and design the pages. Most of the non-photo-taking work can be done at home on your own schedule - a fun and creative project! Anyone interested in volunteering please contact Laura Nugent at: LNUGENT@ME.COM

Yearbooks from the years 2015/6, 2014/5 and 2013/4 are all available online for anyone that would like to order one. To do so, please visit:* www.treering.com* either sign in or sign up (if you haven?t already - use the passcode for Incline Elementary School: 1013911886083238)* select the yearbook you are interested in purchasing and follow the instructions.

Clubs and Programs:

Morning PE7:55 ? 8:55 am April 24 - 26Join us for exercise, fun and fitness as we participate in a variety of physical education activities before school. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays $100 for all sessionsChecks payable to PE and Wellness Parent Organization

1. The yearbook committee is looking for volunteers! We need photographers for school events and to take candid shots of the kids as well as people to work with us to select a yearbook theme and design the pages. Most of the non-photo-taking work can be done at home on your own schedule - a fun and creative project! Anyone interested in volunteering please contact Laura Nugent at: LNUGENT@ME.COM2. Yearbooks from the years 2015/6, 2014/5 and 2013/4 are all available online for anyone that would like to order one. To do so, please visit:* www.treering.com* either sign in or sign up (if you haven?t already - use the passcode for Incline Elementary School: 1013911886083238)* select the yearbook you are interested in purchasing and follow the instructions.

"In a detailed review of the allocation situation at Incline ES, WCSD determined today that we will receive a 3rd grade and a 5th grade allocation back in order to be in compliance with Read by Grade 3 and to reduce class size for the 2017-18 school year. Though we are still losing a 1st grade and 4th grade allocation, this places us in a much better position to serve our students."

I would also like to give a huge shout out to Dana Greer, Nicolle Larson and Chrystie Lowden who attend the senate hearing on SB 180 this week. In addition to speaking on behalf of IES at the hearing, Dana Greer was able to speak directly with Senator Kieckhefer about the unique needs of Incline Elementary. She was also about to set up a future meeting with this senator as well as Governor Sandoval. The next important meeting will be a town hall meeting regarding the budget at Wooster High School Thursday, April 6 at 6 p.m.

In order to compensate for a $12,000,000 budget cut, WCSD is proposing to increase classroom sizes by 2 students. While this increase would be alarming on its own, the projected allocations for Incline Elementary are no where near 2 students per class. We are projected to lose 4 teachers (1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th). This would mean a 5th grade classroom currently at 21 students would be increased to 38 students, a far cry from a 2 student increase.

The next Washoe County School Board meeting is on Tuesday, March 14th at the district office 425 E. 9th St.

Here are some of the discussion topics from the meeting:

1) For the 2017-2018 school year, IES is projected to lose four teachers: 1st grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade. The media reported that class size would increase by 2, but our 1st grade will increase by 5 students; 3rd grade by 10 students; 4th grade by 8 students; 5th grade by 14 students.

2) With Nevada?s Read by Grade 3 requirement (linked on the WCSD website), 3rd grade classes should have 20 students; IES 3rdgrade classes will be 31 students to one teacher if we lose a 3rd grade allocation.

3) Our IES 4th grade classes will go from 24 students to 32 students. These classes are too large to differentiate instruction for our most vulnerable students (students with IEPs, English language learners, and students needing extra interventions). It will also increase classroom management issues.

4) Our IES 5th grade classes will go to 38 students in one class. Not only will teachers be unable to effectively differentiate instruction, the IES classrooms are not large enough to hold 38 desks. WCSD will have to come in and remove built-in cabinetry in order to make a large enough learning space for our students.

5) The preliminary allocations put the burden of this budget crisis on our students. What is being cut from central administration to minimize impact on students?

6) Incline Elementary currently has amazing high quality teachers who would be at risk for being overaged now. This has a greater effect on the schools in Incline because being offered a job 45-60 minutes away is a bigger hardship. Currently, Tahoe Unified is actively hiring and we may have no high quality overaged Incline teachers to bring back in the fall if we receive increases in allocations at that time.

7) A larger part of our IES population is living below the poverty level and this number is most likely even higher that currently stated due to families fears of applying. Many of these families receive no additional services from WCSD due to proximity.

8) The student/teacher relationship is critical to learning especially in the elementary years. There is no way for a teacher to give adequate individualized attention with the suggested classroom sizes.

9) WCSD district offers programs and services that are prohibitively far away for Incline residents to use regularly. The educational experience of our students rests with our teachers. There are very few academic programs offered within our community.

10) Incline Elementary is already suffering from attrition. Families see the title I needs at our school and the lack of funds and are enrolling their students elsewhere. Several families are choosing private schools, the public Spanish immersion school in Kings Beach, Tahoe Expeditionary Academy and public and private schools in Reno. We need to stop the attrition not fuel it with larger class sizes. High achieving student are often the first to leave causing lower test schools. Also, making the financial situation at IES more challenging due to lower enrollment numbers.

11) How are we going to address equity in school funding at the state and district level so that these losses do not continue to occur year after year?

12) We are fortunate to have a beautiful new school, but it wasn?t built to accommodate classrooms of this size. Classrooms would need to be modified structurally to allow for this many students.

13) These student/teacher ratios seem unsafe. How can a single teacher see everything that is going in classroom with 38 students? Although by 5th grade, students can work more independently, they moving towards the teen years are often motivated by pleasing peers rather than adults. Keeping a classroom safe and effective for differentiated learners is impossible with these ratios.

14) It appears as though elementary schools throughout the district are slated to lose between 1-4 teachers in the preliminary allocations. Why would Incline Elementary be at the top of this range when we are a small school?

15) With the possibility of vouchers, ours schools need to be focusing more funds on students and academics.

16) Incline Village pays a disproportionate amount in taxes and is struggling with special needs in our schools (Title I and a large English Language Learner population).

Here is a list of Washoe County School District representatives:

JoEtta Gonzales is our direct area Superintendent; Traci Davis is the Superintendent of all WCSD; Scott Kelley is Incline's School Board Member:

Girls Lacrosse:Exciting news! North Tahoe Lacrosse League will have a U9 and U11 girls lacrosse team this year! I will coach the U9 team. If your daughter is in kinder or 1st grade I'll hold Sunday afternoon clinics like last year. Please spread the word to 2nd and 3rd grade girls about he U9 team. 4th and 5th girls will be on the U11 team, depending on birthdays. Please feel free to give my email or number to anyone you can think of (775-690-2302). We have the green light to start the week of March 14th. I'm in the process of locating indoor practice venues in Incline or KB. If the majority of the team lives closer to IV or KB we might be able to keep most practices closer to that area (two a week), but as of now, we'll have one in the IV/KB side and one at Ride Out or the Lake School in Tahoe City. Girls will need a USA Lacrosse membership, mouth guards, GIRLS sticks, and goggles to play. If you are interested in learning more, email me back and I'll put together a new list and send registration details. If you know anyone who'd like to be an assistant coach, both U9 and U11 teams are looking for assistants. Once the fields thaw practices will most likely be at North Tahoe High School, but if I can find a field closer to IV, we'll try to move outdoor practices as well. Ideally we'll be able to schedule either Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday 4:30-6:00 weekly practices. As soon as we have a headcount we'll finalize practice details. Once games start, they'll typically have one game during the week a one every Saturday. Most games are at North Tahoe High School or at the Truckee fields near the pump track and airport, with a few Reno games.

Thanks so much for spreading the word! Can't wait to start an official girls program!!

Dia De Los Muertos will be held on Monday, November 7th at 5:30. Come join the Incline Elementary School community to celebrate its 4th annual Day of the Dead celebration/kermes! There will be plenty of carnival-style games and crafts, the famous homemade salsa making contest and delicious food for purchase. This year all money raised at this event will go towards literacy programs at IES. We need lots of help for this event but would like everyone to have time to enjoy the evening as well. So, we've created a volunteer sign-up with short shifts. Please sign up for a shift on sign up genius: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f48aaad2fa2f58-diadelos

We have a parent that has volunteered to take on our Box Tops for Education program (thank you Soni Lowry!). She will be sending home some information regarding sending in Box Tops with your students. Our first collection is this month, October 2016. Please take time and look through your house for any box tops you might have around and get them into your child?s teacher.

Your photos are needed. Please upload any photos from class or school events that you would like to be considered for the yearbook layout.

5th Grade Families- please upload baby photos of your child(ren) this weekend to be included in the yearbook.

How to upload photos to Treering:Having the photos uploaded directly is the quickest and most reliable way to ensure the photos are available, we know where to include them in the yearbook and are of high enough qualify. To upload photos to Treering, here are the steps:

1. Sign in to your account2. Click on the ?Photos? button3. Find the correct folder for your folder and click on it - it is important that the photos be uploaded to the correct folders so that we know where they belong4. Click the ?Add Photos? button5. Select the source of your photos (your computer, Facebook, instagram etc.)6. Click on the photo or group of photos you want to upload and click ?Upload?7. Repeat for other photos in other folders

In addition, the Nominating Committee believes that several Member-at-Large positions should be created and outlined in the new Standing Rules - ideally one per grade. We recommend Alma Brubaker (5th), Stacy Combs (4th), Dana Greer (3rd) and Barbara Kinsley (1st) be appointed to these positions.

Elections will be held on May 25th at 4pm at Incline Elementary.A Nominee "Meet and Greet? will be held at 3:30 - where nominees can introduce themselves and discuss goals and ideas for the following school year.

Teacher Appreciation WeekMonday, May 2nd - Friday, May 6thTo show our appreciation for the IES staff we would like families to purchase gift cards for a raffle INSTEAD OF FOOD DONATIONS (we will be getting meals from local restaurants for the staff). These gift cards will be used for our daily raffle that ALL STAFF members can enjoy. There will be a box in the front office starting Friday, April 22nd to drop the gift cards in. Please attach a note to the gift card so we can tell the staff member that wins the gift card which family it is from. Gift cards are due NO LATER THAN MONDAY, MAY 2ND BY 9:15 A.M. In order for this raffle to be successful for ALL staff, we appreciate every family making a contribution!

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE WEEK:

MONDAY, May 2nd: Bring your child?s teacher a flower

WEDNESDAY, May 4th: Have your child bring a card or create a note showing their appreciation for their teacher

FRIDAY, May 6th: Let your child decide what they want to do for their teacher (for example- a plant, gift card for their teacher, candle, homemade gift- whatever your family thinks YOUR teacher will enjoy!)

Any questions or if you want to volunteer this week, please feel free to email Dana Greer jdlgreer@gmail.com or 901-409-4191.

Registration for the 2016-17 school year is now OPEN. Please go to Infinite Campus, log in, look at your Inbox, and click on the link for Online Registration. All new AND continuing students must register!

1st Annual STREAM FestivalThe STREAM Festival is an event where students and families can showcase their enthusiasm for STREAM by sharing a project that they have been working on. Not only are there going to be cool hands-on activities for you and your family to participate in, but you can check out awesome projects from other students, families, and classes.

Would you like to showcase a project that you've been thinking about? Now is your chance! At the STREAM Festival you can submit any project that has to do with Science, Technology, Reading(writing), Engineering, Art, or Math!

If you are interested in submitting a project please fill out the form that went home and return it to school . If you have questions please contact IES Science Coordinator Natalie Wierzbicki. Visit IES STREAM FESTIVAL at iespta.com for more information.

Getting/keeping kids excited about learning:Check out Sparklist - a site with tons of great videos, lessons, experiments, simulations, products and after school programs that can help you ignite "Minds-On" thinking.http://thesparklist.com/